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MOMA Morning Expert – Florence Kennedy

Here at MOMA we love a good morning tip, and where better to get those tips from than the morning experts themselves? We've spoken to some of London's busiest morning people, to see what get's them going in the morning. Let's find out what makes Florence Kennedy, creator of Petalon, morning.

04 / 06 / 2015

MOMA Morning Expert – Florence Kennedy, PetalonDelivering beautiful flowers to the people of London by bicycle

What time do you rise in the morning?

It depends how many weddings & events we have on, but usually 3,45am three days a week, otherwise 6:30am.

What is your alarm ringtone?

Whatever the standard iphone one is!

Other than your alarm, what’s the first noise you hear in the morning? (For example: kettle boiling/bird chirping)

My dog dreaming

Do you have any morning rituals?

I get out of the house as fast as I can so as not to wake my husband (or the dog!). I used to cycle to the market, but the busier we’ve become the less stock I could fit in the trailer so I now have to use zipcar. I turn the music up obnoxiously loud and glide through the empty morning streets.

Likewise, do you have any nighttime rituals that make your early start easier?

I lay all my clothes out, and everything I need for the market too. I make a lot of lists, so I have a rough idea of what i’m looking for when I get down there. it can be hard to make creative decisions so early in the morning!

Do you listen to the same radio station in the morning or playlist? If so, what? Not really, I just surf the radio stations for lively tunes that will wake me up!

Do you share your early starts with anyone? (family or co workers etc.) On Mondays my friend Alex comes and helps out at Petalon, she comes to the market with me and we squabble about flower choices. I love it. It pushes both of us to create better arrangements, and having a buddy down there is just the best.

Can you describe what your work is like when you first arrive in the morning? I get to the flower market around 4,30am, we do a reccy to see who’s got what and once we’ve found the flowers that sing out to us, we design bouquets around them. We’re usually down there for a couple of hours and then take everything back to the studio to condition all the flowers, design the bouquets, photograph them and get them up online ready for people to order on their way to work.

If you were given an extra hour in the morning, what would you do with it?

Either sleep (!) or go out for a leisurely breakfast with james and Hux after our morning walk.

What is the best part of your morning?

I love making the first bouquet, seeing what we can put together with all the exciting things we got at the market.

Do you find time for exercise in the morning? If so, what?

It’s something that’s really lacking! I used to do all the cycling, but as we’ve grown i’ve had to get riders and I spend more and more time infront of the computer, growing the business and managing the day to day. My morning dog walk with Hux and James is my equivalent of a breakfast break. I love winding through Abney Cemetary, trekking through Hackney marshes and even a quick plod through London Fields.

What is something you can’t go without in the morning?

Shawn Keaveny on Radio 6. Also good Porridge.

What makes your morning awesome?

The flowers are pretty special! I’ve got a small team now, it means the world to have good company when you’re still a small business, they become like family. Once all the blooms are up online I start cooking up some porridge for the team and we take a short break to eat together in the garden in the morning sun, before churning out the deliveries for the day.

What advice would you give to someone who is definitely not a morning person?

Find something that you want to get out of bed for.

What motivates you to do it everyday?

Seeing Petalon grow is a huge motivation. It’s my company, it’s my life really. If I want Petalon to move forward, then I have to move too. It also helps I don’t really have a choice – I need to get up at that time to get good stock at the market and to get it up online in time for people to order when they are on their commute/get to work. I’ve never dreaded going to the market – it has a very special place in my heart.